Missing boy found late Monday night, July 28

July 28, 2014

Missing hiker Austin Shedd, a 13-year-old boy from Carlsbad and Mammoth Lakes was found late in the evening of July 28 at 9:30 p.m. by a trail crew in Kings Canyon National Park, according to the National Park Service.

A park spokesperson said Shedd was found by a park trail crew and spent the night in the wilderness with the trail crew until a rescue flight can take place on Tuesday, July 29.

Additional details will follow when available.

The child, Austin Shedd, his father, Dr. Rick Shedd of Mammoth Lakes, and his fatherâ€™s friend were reportedly on a backpacking trip in Kings Canyon National Park when the boy vanished, according to the park service.

Teams began searching for the boy on Monday, July 28.

The boyâ€™s mother and a family friend had stationed themselves in Independence Monday, waiting for any word or new development in the search.

According to the Park Service, the trio had hiked eight hours into the backcountry, planning to exit Sunday at Taboose Pass.

According to the mother and her friend, Austin and Dr. Shedd were hiking from Arrow Peak to Bench Lake (high in the Sierra backcountry above Big Pine and Independence) when the father stopped to make his son a sandwich, at about 2:30 p.m. It was a task, they said, that took maybe five minutes and when the father finished, Austin was gone.

Dr. Shedd searched for three and a half hours by himself, finding no trace of the boy. At that point, he decided to begin the eight-hour trek back toward the Owens Valley to get help, while his friend stayed behind to continue the search.